Mineral composition



Patented Oct. 28, 1941 UNITED STATE MINERAL coMrosrnoN Victor V; Kelsey, Washin gton, D. 0., assignor to Dominion Minerals, Incorporated, Washington, D. a corporation of Virgmm.

No Drawing. Application March 1-, 1939, I

V SerialNo. 259,105 a 12' Claims.

This invention relates to improvements inithe:

processing of zoisiticrock- It includes. new operations in the grinding ofi such. rock, improved products fromsuch rock. and the .-use ofv such improved products ini .The termfzoisitic rock as, used. in. thisspecificationv and the appended claims. designates .rock

containingla substantial proportion of zoisite, together. with substantial proportions of sodium and potassium aluminum. silicates, such as. albite and sericite.. h

. The present invention has important advantages for use in the, processing of a, naturally. occurring zoisitic rock found nearv Piney River,v

Virginia, and the new products produced from such rock have important advantages. This rock is frequently referred. to as aplite. This rock is composed chiefly of zoisite, albite, sericite and microcline with accessory minerals of titanite, garnet, apatite, clino-zoisite and quartz- A typical chemical analysis of the rock is approximately:

, Per cent S102 58. '72 A1203 24. '70 02.0 6. 90 NazO 5. 58 K20 2.70 TiO2- 0. 12 F6203; ,0. 30'

The mineral content of several thin typical sections of this rock as determined by traversing selected areas under the microscope is approximately:

Per cent Albite 60-70 Microcline 5* Sericite -20 Z-oisite -20 Quartz and minor minerals 5 or'less While this analysis is largely an approximation it indicates in a general way the relative distribution of minerals in the rock. A recast of the. chemical analysis indicates asubstantially similar distribution, of minerals. Based on the chemical analysis of the rock-thepercentage composition would be very closely: 1

Clin'o-zoisite, 4CaO.3A12O3.6SiOz.H2O' Apatite, (CaF) Ca4(PO4) 3 Since the rock occurs? naturallyin- Virginia, 'I

the. manufacture :of glass,

Percent rock as mined.

tities of zoisite, along with such alkali aluminum silicates as albite, sericite and microcline may bev similarly used in the practiceof this invention. I

For usev in glass-manufacture, the zoisitic rock, after mining, is crushed in jaw and gyratory crushers to a minus 20 mesh plus 100 mesh size; that is, to a size such that substantially all passes a 20 mesh screen and is retained on a 100 mesh screen. Thisisaccomplished by passing the rock through suitable crushers, screening out the material coarser than 20- mesh and separating the fines, that is, the product which: will pass a 100 mesh. screen, from the product so obtained, advantageously by-air separation. The separated coarse material isreturned tothe crushers, and

, the minus 20 mesh plus 100 mesh material is usedfor the production of glass-or other products. The fine material, thatis, material which passes a 100 mesh screen has heretofore been practically a. waste product,, as it is not suitable for use in glassmanufacture or the like. Because of its fineness, it has presented a substantial.

industrial hazard, as do nearly all finely groundor powdered siliceous materials. The amount of.

the veryfinely divided material ordinarily ob-= tained in. the crushing and grinding of zoisiticrock. toproduce the 20 to 100 mesh product is about 40% of. the total material passed through the crushing and igrinding apparatus. This representsa very substantialexpense. if the material: is discarded or sold at an extremely low price because of its-finely dividedcondition.

The. present invention provides for the conversion of this very finely divided material to a: product. graded in size fromi20 to 100 mesh and which not only has the proper particle'size for use in the glass. and ceramic industry, but has important advantagesover the zoisitic rock products obtained. by the simple comminution: of the In accordance with the-present invention, the finely, divided material, for example, having. a particle, size such that substantially all: passes a 100 mesh screen, separated from the 20 to- 100:

mesh screen material. by air separation or othersuitable separation, is subjected in a suitable fur-- nace or kiln to a sintering,.fritting or fusing operationin. which the fine particles coalesce to form clinkers or nodules-whichare subsequentlysuitably broken up-or'ground to form. a 20 to-100 mesh product. Such material as ismore finely dividedin this-crushing; or grinding, operation:

may be returned. for reprocessing, so that subv stantially all 30:. the initialfine material obtained .in the air orother separator is finally obtained as a product having the desired particle size for use in the glass or related industries. The coalesced particles so obtained have important advantages for use in the manufacture of glass, for

example, because all of the volatile constituents I are driven off during the sintering, fritting or vitreous, and is not crystalline in structure asis the initial zoisitic rock. Thus this coalesced product promotes the fusion of the other mate: rials, such as the glass sand, etc., in the manufacture of the glass in much the same way as does the commonly used glass cullet (broken glass) and as the new product melts more easily and-produces a more homogeneous glass than feldspar, it permits temperatures. 7

In treating the fines from the grinding or crushing of the zoisitic rock, the material sepa rated in the air separator is introduced into a kiln or furnace, advantageously a rotary kiln or furnace, either as the dry powder, or as a slurry with water. In-the kiln or furnace, the material is heated to about cone 6 to cone 8. In this'way, the very finely divided particles are agglomerated or coalesced to form nodules or clinkers. This agglomeration or coalescence may be a sintering or fritting or substantial fusion, depending upon the temperature-to which the material is heated. The coalesced material from the furnace is then subjected to a suitable comminution, which may involve simple grinding in gyratory crushers, or may be accomplished by quenching the hot material in water to break it up into more or less finely divided particles, with subsequent grinding or crushing in suitable equipment, such as a gyratory crusher, to the proper size, or may be accomplished by subjecting the partially or completely vitrefied mass to the action of a blast of steam or air under pressure while at the high temperature used in coalescence. The comminuted material is then screened, to separate the properly sized particles, that is, the minus 20 mesh :plus 100 mesh particles, the oversize particles. being sent back for further grinding or crushing, and the more finely divided, particles being again. subjected to the same treatment to cause them to agglomerate or coalesce. The crushing, screening, etc., of the aggregates from the furnace or kiln may be accomplished in admixture with the zoisiticrock from the mine or quarry, but it is advantageousto keep the sintered, fritted or fused product separate from the mined products, because of its amorphous or vitreous condition and because of its advantages for use in the arts.

It is advantageous to treat the fines with a suitable reagent prior to or after introduction into the furnace to convert the iron present in the material to a volatile iron compound or compounds which will be removed during the heating operation. This is advantageous because in many glass manufacturing operations the amount of iron present in the raw materials is strictly limited, because of color considerations, etc. By the treatment of the fines with hydrogen chloride, chlorine, sulfur chloride or chlorine and sulfur chloride, magnesium chloride, etc., or other materials which combine with iron to yield a volatile iron compound, substantially all-of the iron present inthe zoisitic rocki's readily removed glass to be melted at lower during the agglomeration treatment, so that a product substantially free from iron is obtained. Such a product, of course, has important advantages for use in the manufacture of glass or the like, because it can be used to supply the alumina which is an important constituent in ored glass or other ceramic products, for decorative and protective coatings, etc., the colors being fused into the product at the elevated temperatures used. This affords a convenient and valuable method of introducing such metal oxides into the glass batch or the like.

In many cases it is advantageous to incor, porate other mineral or rock products with the zoisitic rock 'to produce improved products of controllable constitution. For example, such mineral products as clay, spomudene, kaolin, china clay, pyrophyllite, cyanite, bauxite, amblygonite and other aluminum bearing mineral or rock products may be incorporated with the zoisitic rock before or during the agglomeration treatment to produce amorphous granular products having important advantages for use in the production of glass, etc. At the high temperatures of the agglomeration treatment, the zoisitic rock dissolves substantial amounts of the aluminum bearing minerals, and products are produced which are amorphous, free from volatile substances and combined water, and of a nature such that they readily melt or dissolve with other glass making ingredients at thev temperature of the glass furnace. Many minerals,

such as kaolin and china clay are high inalumina, and may contain from 40 to or more of alumina, A1203, and thus are a good Howsource of alumina for glass or the like. ever, these minerals tend to coalesce into balls or lumps when stored, particularly if they'are exposed to damp air and are permitted to absorb' or adsorb water. Such lumps or balls do not always melt in the glass furnace and frequently cause the 'so-called stones in the finished, glass,

causing a loss. When such minerals are ad- 1 mixed with zoisitic rock, and the resulting product is subjected to the agglomeration treatment,

an amorphous product, of predetermined com-L- position, free from volatile materials andv water,

and free from the tendency to form lumps, or balls which do not melt properly in the glass furnace, is obtained. These added minerals may be used to increase the alumina content of the zoisitic rock, to modify the proportions of alkali and alkaline earth metals, etc., for example',-toproduce composite products containing predetermined proportions of silicatesof aluminum,- potassium, sodium, lithium and calcium. Such products have important. advantages in glass;

making because of uniformity of composition, because they do not tend to form stones, seeds, etc. in the finished glass, and because they melt easily in and mix easily with, other glass ingredients to form homogeneous glass. In} this Way, the zoisitic rock agglomerates may be given an increased calcium content bythe addi tion of limestone, an increased lithium content, bythe addition of spodumene, amblygonite,for

other lithium bearing mineral or rock, an increased alumina content by the addition of clay,

kaolin, china clay, pyrophyllite, bauxite, cyanite,

etc. The zoisitic rock. fines, when admixed with one-or more of theseminerals and. then. sinteredr atile-free granular product, the desirableiprope erties of whichare largely due: to the. fluxlng; properties of the zoisitic rock fines. Such addi-. tion of other minerals, if they are relativelyzfreez from iron, will also. reduce the. percentage iron content inthe final product to. an-extent. such. that it is unobjectionable. not obtained. in. this way, the zoisitic rock fines with the: additionof clay, etc., with or without added. coloring materials: such as. metal oxides, besides having advantages; for use in glass making and the like, are adapted,

when properly graded in-size,;for: use as roofing granules, etc. v ,1. The new product: of the present invention is advantageousxforruse in the; manufacture :of

glass, ceramic products; etc.',because of; its: freedom from volatile constituents and because,

or vitrified. structure, it. promotes the. fusion of theother raw materials-ofx thesglass. mix in much the same way as does glass cullet, thus serving .as. an advantageous means of introducing the: desirable aluminain the. glass The use ofalumina bearing,- con having an amorphous stituents in glassmixtures iswell known, thealumina/ having. several important. functions in-. eluding improvement; in the: viscosity characteristics of the glass; which permit the glass to be, molded more readily and: to; beset more quickly in the molds, the fixing of the other constituents to prevent. dissociation, for example, of the soda from the silica which might detract from the brilliance of the glass, the prevention of devitrification, that is, the change of the glass from an amorphous, vitreous state to a crystalline state. The following are typical glass formulae in which the product of the present invention is used as a constituent in a glass mix.

The granular pr-ode; y lomeration of;-

alumina. desired inv the final product, andon. the properties of the final product desir'edlklnxany event, the new product of this invention has important advantages for such use; over the previously known zoisitic rock products, particularly where the iron present in thezoisitic rocki has been removed during the processing. of the fines to convert them to aproduct of properly graded: size and amorphous: condition; I

Icl'aim: 1. The process of forming a non--glass-l-'1=ke':. product from fines of. zoisitic rock resulting; from the'crushing of. zoisitic rock toiiorm particlesxof;

' aosize which: will be retainedi'on a. 1001x1831 screen; and. which are of a size such-that the:

major portion passes a, "100 mesh screen, which. comprises.formjngisuchfinest into anon-glass-l-ike product by subjecting them to a temperature suiii'cient to sinter or coalesce them but insufii-=. cient. to completely fuse them, and. comminuting; the resulting coalesced productto, form particles; a substantial portion of which are of a size which bel retained on a 100' meshscreen.

2."?Ihe process of treating. zoisitic rockgwhiclm comprises crushing the rock. to; form particleszoi plus 100. mesh. size andfines ofz minus 100. mesh: size, separating said. particles from the finesa forming the; finesxinto a znon-glassz-like' product by subjecting. them to: a temperature sufficient-tel sinter or coalesce them butinsuflicient totcoma ple'tely fuse'them-,1crushing the resulting coalescedi 2 particles,- thus form d-from t e fin product to form.additionali'particies, a substantial; portion. ofwhich are of plus 100: mesh, size and fines of. minus 100; mesh. size, and separating the,

3. The process of forming a non-glass-like product which comprises mixing fines of zoisitic rock, resulting from the crushing of zoisitic rock to form particles of a size which will be retained on a 100 mesh screen, and which are of a size such that the major portion passes a 100 mesh screen,- with a mineral of the class consisting of aluminum, alkaline earth metal and alkali metal bearing minerals, subjecting the resulting mixture to a vtemperature suffi'cient to sinter or coalesce the mixture but insufiicient to completely fuse it, and comminuting the resulting coales'ced product to form'particles, a substan- Sand 1000 1000 Soda ash 37L 250 380 Zoisitic rock 45 1'70 .70 Burnt dolomite 100 100 Limestone 350 Borax,- 30 .i 50 Salt cake 4, '75 5 Cullet 400 Glass bottle formulae: Sand 1000 1000 1000 Soda lash 365 320 300 Limestone 210 230 Burnt lime 135 Zoisitic rock '75 100 150 Borax 60 10 Salt cake 5 5 Niter 2 /2 2 /2 Arsenic 2 1 2' Machine drawn window glass formulae; Sand n 1000 1000 Soda ash 300 285 Dolomitic limestone 220 200 Aplite '75 100 Salt cake e '75 Carbon 5 5 Arsenic 2 3 tial portion of which are of a size which will be retained on a mesh screen.

4. The process of forming a non-glass-like product as set forth in claim 3', in which the fines. of the zoisitic rock are treated with an agent which converts the iron present to iron compounds which are volatile at a temperature below the temperature to which the mixture is subjected to sinter or coalesce it.

5. The process of forming a non-glass-like product as set forth in claim 3, in which the fines of the zoisitic rock are treated with an agent which converts the iron present to iron 'of the zoisitic rock is subjected to a temperature sufficient to sinter or coalesce the mixture.

6. The process of forming a hon-glass-like product from lines of Virginia zoisitic rock to form particles of a size which will be retainedon a 100 mesh screen and which are of a size such that the major portion passes a 100 mesh screen, which comprises forming such fines into a nonglass-like product by subjecting them to a temperature suificient to sinter or coalesce them but insufficient to completely fuse them, and comminuting the resultant coalesced product by quenching it in water to break it up into granules or particles, a substantial portion of which are of a size which will be retained on a 100 mesh screen.

7. A new product in the form of non-glass-like particles or granules, said product being substantially free from volatile constituents and formed by subjecting comminuted zoisitic rock of a size which will pass a 100 meshscreen to a temperature suflicient to sinter-or coalesce the particles thereof but insufficient to completely fuse them.

8. A new product in the form of non-glass-like particles or granules, said product being substantially free from volatile constituents and formed by subjecting a, mixture of comminuted zoisitic rock of a size which will pass a 100 mesh screen and at least one mineral. of the class consisting of aluminum, alkaline earth metal and alkali metal bearing minerals to a temperature suflicient to sinter or coalesce it but insuflicient to completely fuse it.

9. A new product in the form of non-glass-like particles or granules, said product being substantially free from Volatile constituents, of a size substantially minus 20 mesh plus 100 mesh, and formed by subjecting'comminuted Virginia zoisitic rock of a size which will pass a 100 mesh screen to a temperature suflicient to sinter or coalesce the particles thereof but insufiicient to completely fuse them, and then comminuting the resultant coalesced product to form said particles of minus 20 mesh plus 100 mesh size.

10. Inthe manufacture of glass, the step of introducing as one constituent a non-glass-like alumina bearing material which is substantially free from volatile constituents and formed by subjecting comminuted zoisitic rock of a size which will pass a 100 mesh screen to a temperature sufficient ,to sinter 0r coalesce the particles thereof but insuificient to completely fuse them,

of a size which will pass a 100 mesh screen to a.

temperature sufiicient to sinter vor coalesce the particles thereof but insufficient, to completely fuse them, and then comminuting thecoalesced product to form said alumina bearing particles of minus 20 mesh plus 100 mesh size. n

12. In the manufacture of glass, the step of introducing as one constituent a non-glass-like product which is substantially free from volatile constituents and is formed by subjecting a mixture of comminuted zoisitic rock of a size which will pass a 100 mesh screen and at least one mineral of the class consisting of aluminum, alkaline earth metal and alkalimetal bearing minerals, to a temperature sufficient to sinter or coalesce the particles thereof but insufficient to completely fuse them, and then comminuting the resulting coalesced product to form said alumina bearing material.

VICTOR v. KELSEY. 

